Soul: the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal.
Not a perfect definition, but good enough.
I thought this might be a good topic off of a string of long back and forth with one of our more active alumni Messrs. Ed Senter, take a bow sir. I hope you don’t mind if I quote you.
“That’s my physical body. But is it me?” It’s a reasonable existential question really.
I personally understand this, more than many other theist positions, because I think there is an inherent disconnect between the mind and the body. There’s a demand of self, a feeling that we’re pilots of our bodies, instead of both the driver and the machine. I do admit that while also acknowledging that it’s a feeling. One example that I automatically shy away from incorrectly, is the comparison with a serial killer. If every single atom of your body was swapped out with Jeffery Dhamer’s, none of your memories remain, only his. Imbalances etc. one for one everything tangible is replaced. What is left to distinguish you from you?
Ok, is there a good reason to think a soul exists? if yes why? if not why?
R&I-Rawr